96 replies to this topic

[iGuest]

As a person who works around and on computers almost everydayI recommend:

1. Asus - Motherboard company that has recently gotten into the computer market. Low amount of repairs and software issues.

2. Apple - Known for their reliability and great designs.

3. IBM - Still kicking.

4. Toshiba - Great for most users, batteries do die faster then most other brands.

5. HP - Not all bad. Sometimes you just get a bad one.

 

Brands to avoid:Based on quilaity, repairs, and service calls.

1. Acer - Low cost acers work great for a very short amount of time (6 months). The high end expensive acers are actually nice.

2. Compaq - Owned by HP, these budget machines are just not as good as they once were.

3. EMachine - Owned by Acer/Gateway these pcs are the budget versions of Gateway PCs.

4. Dell - I know many people like Dells but I can tell you that they just are not that good. Dell kicked butt about 10 years ago. However; they now pre-load a lot of trial software (like Sony), their parts are cheap and their customer service is lacking.

 5. Gateway (Acer) - Designer Acers. Gateways sport a nice design and the specs are good, but for whatever reason they just don't last that long.

-reply by theblackwings

[donneo]

If you are interested to powre and entehtaiment go with HP HDX it is powerful lap top wih this laptop you never go wrong. If you want quality bye Sony VAIO FW series but tihs laptop you havent a lot of entermainent.

[iGuest]

Sony Vaio IssuesBest Laptop Brand

Sony Vaio laptop issues:

 - extreme bloatware on Microsoft OS

- fans are loud and useless; usually require an external cooling fan

-Force latest drivers for Microsoft, I.E., if you've got Vista and wantTo downgrade to XP, installing the SATA drivers isn't the issue,Getting the appropriate display power management, bluetooth, etcDrivers will be the real challenge because Sony won't support it. ThisIsn't an issue if you use Linux on your notebook.

 - run too hot (see note on fans)

- break easily and require 3 weeks to repair under warranty

VaiosAre externally 'pretty' like Macs, but Macs are quieter longer lastingAnd more efficient. That said I prefer my Vaio to Mac mainly due to theFact that I can't customize my Mac as easily due to poor source codeCompilations on the Darwin kernel. Binary files for apps like FirefoxAnd Mplayer are also crippled on Mac. 

I should note that JapanTends to ship its quality products abroad and save its lemons forDomestic purchases... So my issues with Vaio could be purchase locationBased.

IBM laptops aren't stylish, but if you're a hardcore computerUser then you can't go wrong with this brand. Toshiba's pretty decent.I used to be pro HP until several years ago when they took over theCompaq brand. Compaq blows and Fujitsu laptops are the JapaneseEquivalent of Compaq.

 If you just want a laptop for mail, net,Downloads and streaming, then frankly any brand should suffice andPricing for specs and productivity should be your only consideration.Most of the general consumer brands use cheaper parts because theyDon't expect taxed usage. Dell--especially in regards to its low endPrice range--isn't as bad as folks complain it is.

-reply by monkeygirl

[Alphacide]

All my gateway laptops have lasted me a long time. Although, if your not planning on moving much: I would highly recommend a desktop. Higher specs for less price. And HP makes a mean slimline.

[aloKNsh]

i think you should go with lenovo
as i am having one
its main feature is that
it gives ddr3 ram in total 36000 inr
and also with 320 gb and media acc.

you will never get ddr3 ram in such a low price
hp gives it around 50000 inr
and also in dell there is no such offers
go with lenovo

[iGuest]

Bad Lap TopBest Laptop Brand

I had been using Dell Computers for the last 3 years. Bought probably a couple dozen for work and all my family. I'll never buy a Dell again. I bought 2 Inspiron lap tops and both were trash. When I called I was routed to India and it took 3 people before I got the "one" who would help. Then since they couldn't transfer me again, they said they'd call me back. LIE. This happened on 3 occasions. I don't know if it's the Indian culture or the Dell telephone culture, but it's the same each time. So now they've screwed with me long enough that both computers are out of warranty and both are trash. Never, Never, Never again Dell.

-reply by Greg

[onkarnath2001]

brandonjbegle, on Mar 26 2009, 01:37 AM, said:

I was just wonder what you guys think the best mainstream laptop brand is? I would like to keep within a budget of $1000

the best brand in my view is dell because dell is new and the best thing is its heat sinking.i run my laptop for 72 hours continuously but never i saw any problem in its performance.this is a great machine and also available in many colours with a cheaper price than sony vio.

[Watermonkey]

Forgive me, I didn't read past page one, but I just have to laugh at razeredge repeating the same old line that Apple is more expensive then other brands. I find that if I build an XPS on one tab in my browser and an Apple in another and try my best to keep the two equal (though you can't do it, Apple has far superior hardware configurations) you'll always end up spending more money on the XPS.
The software argument is gone too because of the ability to run Windoz on the Apple any time you want, even run it in its own window without having to reboot. Kinda handy if you need software for work that you can only run on a Windoz machine, like MS Streets and Trips or something.
Another myth that's fascinating to me is that you can't find a Mac for under $1000. False. Way false. One example is the little Mac Mini, http://store.apple.c...mco=MTAyNTQzNTk either configuration will cost significantly under $1000. Granted, you'll have to buy a monitor separately, but that's usually the case with desktops. Your starting price point for the Macbook, http://store.apple.c...mco=MTM3NDk2NjU , is under $1000, and less at least a hundred less than that if you're a student or employee of the school system. Lie. They never check. You, too can get a student discount without any effort at all. Just order it online in the "education store". My personal favorite non-portable is the imac. http://store.apple.c...mco=MTM3NDc2NjA Check this thing out. Admittedly the one I linked to is the high end version with a 27" monitor and a quad-core chip, but for $2k (my configuration put it at $2837 without the education discount), look at all you get! I don't see how you can go wrong with Mac, and Consumer Reports agrees. Can't link, but you can go to your local library to check out their most recent reviews.

Edited by rvalkass, 05 January 2010 - 09:12 AM.

[knoppixusr]

So far in my 8 years of IIT experience, I have come across most brands of laptops. Personally I have witnessed IBM/Lenovo take allot of abuse but still carry on working. The one IT company i worked for long ago had issued a IBM T22 to my then boss. Which he totally abused and dropped. the case was cracked, after he left I inherited his laptop and carried on using it, during my time there for the next 4 years. It never gave me any problems and when i left it was still working.

Here are some of the points I have noticed with IBM laptops.

• They are designed with a very effective cooling system and stay cool, unlike some other laptops that overcompensated with huge noisy fans.
  
• 2 Types of mouse 1 on the keyboard and a touch pad (I really hate the touch pad mouse that most laptops have)
  
• Built in Keyboard light

• Very good driver support under linux for wireless / Sound Volume controls and Function keys
  
• Battery life is reasonable

• Hardware support is easily available.

[fstab]

Dell has always been my favorite brand. I like their laptops because many of their product lines (Inspiron, studio, etc.) give you a choice of many designs/colors. The customer service is great in my opinion, although not everyone thinks this. They offer a lot of customizability and extra features available at purchase time (online), such as extra RAM, higher resolution display, choice of networking card, etc. I also like the fact that they let you choose what software comes preinstalled and pick accessories easily.

I've also had a good experience with Lenovo, although their case designs are generally bland and ugly . They do, however, offer systems at lower prices with higher specs. I don't own one, but my relatives use them, and they seem to run quite smoothly.

If I remember correctly, neither Dell nor Lenovo computers have very much unwanted software preinstalled.